For the last thirty years, this would be the time when the bowling leagues wrapped up their summer seasons and the meetings for the fall season held. Well, there was no summer season this year.

COVID struck in March. Governor Hogan shut down all non-essential businesses, one being bowling alleys. Several weeks ago, the Governor allowed businesses to reopen with restrictions. Customers must wear masks, and there are social distancing requirements. Several local bowling alleys opened by conforming with the limits.

The Lanes at Ft Meade was not one of these. The military was taking it slower, being more cautious. Finally, the call came that we could start reforming leagues.

Preparation to Return

As league secretaries, the first order of business was to learn how many of our previous bowlers felt comfortable bowling under the COVID-19 mandates. My wife and I found many wanted to wait until January when they hope we will have a cure, but there was a good number desiring to start in September. The final count for restarting now was enough to establish fall leagues, though much smaller than last year’s.

Meetings convened, and the result was everyone agreed to short seasons that would end in December. It allows new leagues to form in January to include those desiring to wait.

My wife’s  Monday Seniors League kicked off yesterday with twelve teams, down from the 36. My Tuesday Men’s League restarts on 8 September with six-three man teams. Last season we had eight-four man teams. Her Friday Early Birds League had a good representation returning. Enough to form nine-four person teams, and three teams from the Armed Force League joined to make twelve. It restarted on 28 August.

These leagues have several things in common. They finish in December, the bowlers all wear masks while in the bowling alley, only every other pair of lanes used, and I bowl in all of them.

My New Normal

Yes, my usual has returned. Bowl Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. Do league books on Wednesday. Thursday is a day of rest or, sometimes, a day to practice. Saturday and Sunday, think about not bowling.

So, what do you think of my normal? Please don’t be shy; let me know. I provide a form for your convenience.

“Septuagenarian versus the coronavirus” might make a movie title for life today. Perhaps it should be “Coronavirus against the earth.”

Life normal

I am a septuagenarian plus and my wife in her mid-sixties. The first news stories brought few cares, and our lives remained unaffected. We shopped per usual, bowled in our leagues, and went out to eat with friends without care. Our lives continued as usual even after the first fatalities in Washington State.

Seniors against coronavirus

Stories online noted that seniors, those in our age group, were not demonstrating fear commensurate with the danger the virus presented to our age group. Proven by the number of seniors, over sixty, who showed every Monday morning to bowl in the league my wife manages. Over one hundred seniors bowled each week until this morning.  I will never know how many would have shown today, but the military base shut down leagues for fourteen days. I suspect many would have.

Homebound

Here we are almost homebound. Homebound, not because of an inability to leave, but because there is a lack of places to go. Maryland’s governor announced the closing of many facilities, including restaurants. He also has placed restrictions on the group size to fifty. More restrictions may come. Between league cancellations and all of the mandated closings, we have no place we want to visit, homebound.

We are currently healthy and not in need of testing for the virus. I am hopeful that as we spend less time out, we will never need a test.

How is the current state of emergency affecting you? Share!

“It’s over!” I said at the Monday Seniors League banquet. How many times have I uttered those words in May? I haven’t counted, but I am sure it has been at least fifty.

I said them to my granddaughter as we waited for my wife to call the meeting to order. We were at the prize payout for the Monday Seniors League. The league ended last week. I presume I said those words last Monday.

Today was my second such payout. The previous was last year after I retired. I joined the league to fill a team needing a bowler. The team needed another bowler when a teammate died. Since I no longer was working Mondays, I accepted and have bowled with them for one and part of another season.

Age Requirement to Join

The requirement to bowl on the Monday Seniors is the bowler, man or woman, must be fifty years old. There is no upper age limit as evidenced by several bowlers being in their eighties and one turning ninety before we start again in August. At seventy-one, I am one of the younger league members.

Aside from having my Monday mornings free, why would I be happy the season has ended. I have one related to bowling.

Rotator Cuff

I had to take a few weeks free from bowling early in the season. I had a small tear in my rotator cuff which caused severe pain. My surgeon gave me the option of surgery or trying for a natural cure.

I opted to let nature try. I didn’t compete for four weeks. The other part of the process was to come back using lightweight balls and work up to my typical fifteen-pound equipment.

Near the end of the season, I noticed discomfort and think the healing was only partial. The long break should give my shoulder adequate time to heal completely.

Summer Time

Since bowling is an indoor sport, the long break provides the opportunity to enjoy sunny days outdoors. I hope we have more than last year, but they predict rain for the next several days. (Still hoping!)

It provides time to vacation. This year as with the previous will find us RVing to Texas to visit family and friends. Leaving Maryland for even a week or two is a positive morale builder.

The summer, without bowling or soccer training, will be a time for serious time writing. I will continue editing my work-in-progress until completed, maybe this year.

Now you know some reasons I said, “It’s over!”

I would like to hear if you have ever felt the exhilaration that caused you to voice the phrase. Comment form for your use provided.